Chromecast Grey Screen (Causes and How to Fix)

As a Chromecast owner, I know the frustration of facing a grey screen when trying to stream content. That’s why I set out to research the causes and potential solutions, and am here to share what I’ve learned. In this blog post, I’ll cover the potential causes of a grey screen on Chromecast and how to fix it. With the help of this guide, you can get your Chromecast back to streaming your favorite content in no time.

A Chromecast grey screen can happen because of faulty connections, a firmware issue, or a casting issue. They’re annoying but easy to fix, as you’ll find out in our handy guide.

Cause	Description
Faulty Connection	Check cable connections, as twisted or loose cables can cause problems, including a grey screen. Inspect the HDMI port for debris that may interfere with the connection.
Outdated Firmware	Update Chromecast’s firmware to fix potential bugs or issues. Check if your device has the latest firmware version and update if needed. Perform an automatic or manual update to ensure smooth streaming.
Casting Issue	Ensure your device and Chromecast are on the same Wi-Fi network to enable successful casting. Update Google Chrome to its latest version, as outdated versions may interfere with casting. Check for potential internet connection issues.

Solution	Description
Update Chromecast	Ensure Chromecast is running the latest firmware version. Check the current version on your device, and if it’s different from the one in the App Store, update by rebooting the device. This process will install the latest firmware.
Reboot the Chromecast	Restart your Chromecast device by either using the Google Home App or by unplugging the Chromecast for at least 60 seconds.
Change Resolution	Manually adjust the TV’s resolution to match the Chromecast’s output. Access the TV’s settings and select a compatible resolution for your device.
Clear the cache	Clear the cache on your Chromecast with Google TV by going to your profile icon, selecting Settings, System, Storage, Internal shared storage, and Cached data. Choose “Clear cached data for all apps” and click Ok.
Power from the socket	If you’re powering your Chromecast through the TV’s USB port, switch to powering it through the mains socket to ensure it receives enough power.
Factory Reset Chromecast	Perform a factory reset to return the device to its default settings. This process will erase old data and changes made to the device. Factory reset can be performed through Google TV, the Google Home app, or directly on the Chromecast device.

Table of Contents

Causes of Chromecast Grey Screen

When your TV suddenly goes grey while using Chromecast, it’s either an external or internal issue.

Faulty Connection

Cable connections are crucial for smooth streaming. Even something as simple as a twisted cable can result in various problems, including a grey screen.

Since Chromecast connects to Android TVs through a short cable, it’s highly likely to become loose over time. Aside from that, an unused HDMI port can also accumulate debris, resulting in a faulty connection.

So, if you encounter a grey screen when using your Chromecast, start by checking out all the cable connections first.

Outdated Firmware

Like many software, updates are necessary to keep the device operating more efficiently. However, you can also run into some problems when it comes to recent updates.

Chromecast uses Over the Air (OTA) updates. This advanced technology lets you update the device’s software via an internet connection.

Although this is super convenient, there’s a high probability that any minor bugs within the code that ruin the streaming experience, which is precisely the case for Chromecast.

Casting Issue

A grey screen can also mean there’s a casting issue. Casting is when you mirror your screen to your Android or Google TV via Chromecast. Sometimes, the casting isn’t successful, leading to incomplete video playback or none at all.

To do this, you connect your device to the same Wi-Fi network as your TV. If they’re running on two different networks, the TV won’t pick up the device, and you’ll get a grey screen.

If casting still fails, then the problem could be a poor internet connection. You should also check if you’re using Chrome’s latest version since outdated versions can also interfere with the casting process.

How to Fix Chromecast Grey Screen

Luckily, there are a couple of simple ways to fix your Chromecast problems.

Update Chromecast

The first troubleshooting option is to update Chromecast. You can do this either do it automatically or manually.

The first time you set up Chromecast already prompts an automatic update. However, some versions may reach other softwares later, which delays some of the updates.

To check whether Chromecast has the latest version, follow these easy steps:

First, check the latest firmware version of your Chromecast.
Make sure that your device and Chromecast are on the same internet connection.

Next, open the Google Home application and look for your Chromecast device.
Then, open the device settings by clicking on the gear icon.
Scroll down until you see which version is on your device. If it’s the same as the one on the App Store, then your device is up-to-date.

However, if they’re different, go back to the device settings and click on the three dots.
From the pop-up window, click on Reboot. This process will shut Chromecast off and install the latest firmware.
Finally, check whether the newly installed firmware is the newest version.

Reboot the Chromecast

Often, an easy solution is to simply restart your Chromecast device.

To do this, open the Google Home App, Touch and hold the device’s title, tap settings, more settings then reboot.
Alternatively, you can simply unplug the Chromecast for at least 60 seconds which will reboot the Chromecast.

Change Resolution

You can also change the TV’s resolution to match the Chromecast’s output. Typically, this process is automatic, but here’s how you can do it manually:

From your TV, select Settings.
Go to Display and Sounds.

Choose Advanced Display Settings.
Then, click on Resolution.
Finally, choose the most compatible resolution for your device.

Clear the cache

It would also help to try clearing the cache of your Chromecast.

To clear the cache on Chromecast with Google TV, you need to follow these simple steps:

Go to your profile icon and select Settings, then System, then Storage, then Internal shared, storage then Cached data. Select “Clear cached data for all apps,” then click Ok

Power the Chromecast from the socket

If you are currently powering your Chromecast through the USB port on your TV, it might be the case that the Chromecast is not receiving enough power. To fix this, power the Chromecast through the mains socket instead.

Factory Reset Chromecast

Google TV

Using your Chromecast Voice Remote, select Profile from the upper right corner of the screen.
Then, proceed to Settings.

Next, select System.
From this, click on About and then Factory Reset.

Google Home App

From the Google Home app, press and hold on the appropriate tile for your device.

Go to Settings on the top right.
Then, click on More.
From there, select Factory Reset.

Chromecast

Locate the button on the back of the Chromecast.
Press and hold this button for about 25 seconds until the light blinks yellow.
The light will be orange for Chromecast 2nd gen and Ultra, and red for Chromecast 1st.

When the light turns white, release the button.
At this point, Chromecast will restart with the default settings.